SciDev.Net podcast: Universal internet access and more

In this month’s podcast, we follow up on June’s reflection around internet access by reviewing a new device, called BRCK, that can bring connectivity to rural areas where electricity is scarce. Albeit remaining unaffordable to many, BRCK could be a step towards the ultimate goal of enabling everyone, everywhere to connect to the net.

We hear about how, after more than three decades of rapid growth, China is entering a new phase of development, in which it aims to promote economic growth while also slowing the rise in its greenhouse gas emissions. We discuss the new model of sustainable growth with policy analyst Fergus Green, coauthor of a paper on China’s growth and emissions.

Although controversial, nuclear power could be crucial to China’s low-carbon growth. And nuclear science offers other benefits. We discover how two decades of watching out for hidden nuclear explosions has created a stockpile of data that scientists across the world can use even when their research has nothing to do with nuclear science.

Finally, we ask why insurance schemes are in the spotlight as part of the post-2015 agenda for equitable global development. Political economist and human rights analyst Ana Gonzalez Pelaez explains that insurance for the poorest is crucial for rebuilding communities after natural disasters. She argues that it not only facilitates reconstruction, but it can also help reduce risk and enhance preparedness before disaster strikes.